Summary

  • Australia beat England by 82 runs to win third Test and secure Ashes with two games to spare

  • Starc, Cummins and Lyon take three wickets each for hosts

  • Smith adds 60 for England and Jacks 47, while Carse ends 39 not out

  • Off-spinner Lyon sustained hamstring injury on day five and is doubt for rest of series

  • Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live Sport reaction at top of page

Send us your views

  1. Postpublished at 00:31 GMT 21 December 2025

    Glenn McGrath
    Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    3-0 down has got to be motivation to not lose 5-0. It will be interesting to see how England goes in these next two Test matches.5-0... There's a bit of incentive there. Australia v England is still the ultimate for both countries.

  2. Postpublished at 00:28 GMT 21 December 2025

    That latest update from Dan suggests the groundstaff are expecting a bit more rain shortly, I'd have thought.

    Doesn't sound like they're going to be off for too much longer, though.

  3. Postpublished at 00:25 GMT 21 December 2025

    Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Groundstaff battle with rain coversImage source, EPA

    Drizzle update: The rain has now stopped. But there is more covers than ever.

  4. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 00:23 GMT 21 December 2025

    Click on 'Get involved' at the top of this page

    Get in, we might only lose 4-0.

    Jasper, Verwood

    My husband made me get into cricket during the last Ashes. I’ve regretted it ever since.

    Freya, Birmingham

  5. Postpublished at 00:21 GMT 21 December 2025

    While the England fans in Adelaide celebrated the umpires taking the players off, the break in play comes at a time when Jamie Smith and Will Jacks were looking fairly comfortable.

    England need another 194 to win but it has been a good start to day five for them.

    Australia will be thinking that it just takes one wicket and they're into the bowlers.

    But it's got to stop raining first...

  6. Postpublished at 00:19 GMT 21 December 2025

    Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This is disappointing for England. If there is more rain, then it is going to make it harder to get to that 435.

  7. Postpublished at 00:16 GMT 21 December 2025

    The groundstaff prepare to bring the covers onImage source, Getty Images

    The big covers are being brought out now.

    I wouldn't expect a particularly lengthy delay but a restart isn't imminent either.

  8. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 00:14 GMT 21 December 2025

    Click on 'Get involved' at the top of this page]

    Rain might save Australia here!

    Lewis, Melbourne

  9. rain stops play

    Rain stops playpublished at 73.4 overs

    Eng 241-6

    Would you believe it? They're going off for rain!

    Is the draw suddenly back in play?

  10. Eng 241-6published at 73 overs

    Target 435 | Aus need four wickets

    The rain has returned in Adelaide and the Barmy Army know what they want to happen.

    "Off! Off! Off!" is the chant.

    Meanwhile, you may have noticed that the top tier at the Adelaide Oval is empty today.

    That's because, like most grounds, they don't sell tickets for day five in advance. Anyone in the vicinity can get in for $30, those under 15 get in free.

  11. Postpublished at 00:06 GMT 21 December 2025

    Glenn McGrath
    Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    A good positive start here by England.

    We were wondering what was going to happen this morning. This pitch, they have had the big roller on it. Not a lot of spin on it at the moment.

  12. Eng 240-6published at 72 overs

    Target 435 | Aus need four wickets

    Another maiden from Nathan Lyon, who mixes it up between over and round the wicket to Will Jacks.

    Eight overs until the second new ball is available.

  13. Postpublished at 00:03 GMT 21 December 2025

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    Jamie Smith loves to play the slog and the slog-sweep while taking on spinners.

    Across his Test career against spin he's scored 71 runs at an excellent 374 strike rate with the 19 times he's played one of these two shots.

    A very effective counter attacking approach in the limited time he's played them and it's accounted for 15% of his runs against spin across his career.

  14. Eng 240-6published at 71 overs

    Target 435 | Aus need four wickets

    Alex Carey appeals for a catch behind after Jamie Smith misses with a hook shot.

    Given not out and Cameron Green isn't interested.

    "We've got two," Carey says, referring to the Australia's remaining reviews.

    Not a good enough argument for Pat Cummins to risk losing one.

  15. Postpublished at 00:00 GMT 21 December 2025

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Jamie SmithImage source, Reuters

    A lot of England players, when they play the pull shot they look to hit for six. Jamie Smith is one of them.

  16. 6 runs

    Eng 238-6published at 70.1 overs

    Target 435 | Aus need four wickets

    Six more for Jamie Smith!

    Banged in short by Cameron Green and the England man nails the pull shot over square leg.

    Less than 200 required for the tourists now.

  17. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 23:56 GMT 20 December 2025

    Click on 'Get involved' at the top of this page

    England's plan to set up the greatest comeback in the history of sport has gone swimmingly so far. Should be plain sailing from here.

    Alex, Rotherham

  18. Eng 232-6published at 70 overs

    Target 435 | Aus need four wickets

    Maiden over from Nathan Lyon and he starts to find a bit of rhythm bowling to Will Jacks.

    The first ball of the over seemed to stick in the pitch a little and Jacks nearly pops it back to the bowler. It falls just short this time.

  19. Postpublished at 23:54 GMT 20 December 2025

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Justin Langer said about the lack of foot movement from the English batters.

    Will Jack, if anything, has got a good stride to the ball. A lot of the guys have their shoelaces tied together.

  20. Postpublished at 23:52 GMT 20 December 2025

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    Pat Cummins with the three wickets in this innings is now only the second bowler to take 150 wickets as captain in Test matches.

    Only Imran Khan (187) has more wickets than Cummins in the longest format.

    Most Test wickets as captain:

    • Imran Khan (PAK) - 187
    • Pat Cummins (AUS) - 151
    • Richie Benaud (AUS) - 138
    • Garry Sobers (WI) - 117
    • Daniel Vettori (NZ) - 116

    At the rate he's picking up wickets, Cummins has all the chance to go on to this list in this ICC World Test Championship cycle with two more Tests in this series, and plenty of opportunities left with home matches against Bangladesh (two Tests) and New Zealand (four Tests) next year plus travels away to South Africa (3 Tests) and India (5 Tests) on the cards.